The Diocese of California is pleased to announce Bishop Marc’s appointment of the Ven. Gary England to the position of Archdeacon. By accepting the appointment, Archdeacon Gary is taking on the position previously held by the Ven. Hailey McKeefry Delmas, who has moved to Colorado. Gary is also serving as the new Director of the School for Deacons, a position he began Monday. In that role, he will work closely with Hailey, who serves as Director of Deacons’ Formation at Bexley Seabury.
Archdeacon Gary will serve as one of the diocese’s two Archdeacons, along with the Ven. Canon Nina Pickerrell. The Archdeacons coordinate the work of the diocese’s deacons, help active and retired deacons stay connected, and serve as chaplains for the Bishop of California.
The Ven. Gary Wm England was ordained Deacon in the Diocese of Kentucky on August 12, 2011, and became canonically resident in the Diocese of California in 2020. He lives in Leona Heights in the Oakland Hills with his husband, John Reliford. Archdeacon Gary has three adult children Ana, James, and Adrian, and one grandchild Theodore.
Archdeacon Gary is a native of Alabama and before his relocation to the Bay Area in 2018, he lived in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Tennessee. As an attorney, he is admitted to the bar in all the states mentioned and is currently Registered In-House Counsel in California. Gary retired as General Counsel of a large private investment firm in June 2018 but continues to work as an arbitrator and as GC and HR Consultant for a few long-term clients, including the Diocese of California.
In addition to his continued liturgical duties at St. Paul’s, Oakland, Archdeacon Gary is involved in various ministries for DioCal and General Convention.
I am an ordained minister in Metropolitan Community Church and former health care chaplain at the Palo Alto VA. Since my retirement I have returned to the Episcopal Church in Oakland where I live. I still feel like I can be of use in some capacity and I explored becoming a deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of California, but it did not happen, I’m not sure why. Currently I am in the process of becoming a volunteer at Highland Hospital. I find Gary Englands story very inspiring.